Sang Shuiyun looked at him, but strands of power遁入 (dunru – escaped into) the depths of the earth, quickly moving away from the cave abode.

“Brother Shang, I didn’t expect you to see me this way.” Sang Shuiyun’s voice was low. “I do indeed have some secrets, and you have secrets as well! I thought… we understood each other and wouldn’t pry into each other’s secrets. I didn’t expect you were investigating me, even thinking I might be the Blood Cloud God Monarch? Do you think a solitary cultivator like me could have such strength?”

Shang Tianyan looked at him: “Still denying it at this point?”

“You’ve truly mistaken me,” Sang Shuiyun said, looking at him.

“If I’ve mistaken you, why has your true body already fled?” Shang Tianyan asked, watching him.

Sang Shuiyun was silent.

“Brother Shang, it seems you’re stronger than I anticipated, able to detect my method of escape,” Sang Shuiyun said with a sigh. His escape method integrated three Chaos Realm techniques, making it silent and undetectable to ordinary Eternal True Gods.

“I’m not particularly skilled at anything, just know a bit about refining artifacts,” Shang Tianyan said. “It’s just that after returning to Huyang City, I didn’t have the mind to compete anymore, which is why outsiders say my artifact refinement is among the best in Huyang City.”

“Among the best even without competing?” Sang Shuiyun looked at him. “I knew all along that you and I were the same.”

“You and I are not the same,” Shang Tianyan said, looking at him. “You and I are both lonely in this world, with little attachment. But I am grateful for the experiences of this life. I have witnessed the wonders of the world, watched countless cultivators, each with their own pursuits, their own loves… just like you and I once were, full of ambition and desire.”

“This world is so wonderful, why must you destroy it all?” Shang Tianyan asked, looking at him. “Destroying everything, what is it for?”

“As long as I can become stronger, sacrificing everything is worth it!” Sang Shuiyun’s eyes were cold. “What if billions of living beings are destroyed? I, Sang Shuiyun, will surely become a Chaos Ruler, and in the future, I will become a God King!”

“What if you become a God King?” Shang Tianyan asked, looking at him. “Even as a God King, there are still ancient forces like the Yanfeng Ancient Kingdom and the Thunder Ancient Kingdom that far surpass you. The vast Origin Continent will always have those stronger than you.”

Sang Shuiyun said coldly, “I am alone in this world now, and all I want is to cultivate and become stronger!”

“Becoming stronger for the sake of becoming stronger?” Shang Tianyan shook his head. “You and I are truly different.”

“Of course, we’re different!” Sang Shuiyun said. “You are just an insignificant ripple on the Origin Continent, while I… will be like the vast heavens and earth, ruling all things! Countless lives on the entire Origin Continent will be affected by me. My will shall determine the life and death of countless beings.”

Shang Tianyan looked at him: “Then, are you happy?”

Sang Shuiyun paused, startled.

“No matter how powerful you become, no matter how many lives you can decide the fate of, ask your own heart. If you are still lonely and in pain, then this path of yours is a path of pain,” Shang Tianyan said, looking at Sang Shuiyun. “Having known each other, I only hope you can walk a path that your heart can find release and happiness in, a path where you can face those you once cherished.”

“Regardless of how the outside world changes, your inner feelings are what’s real.” Shang Tianyan looked at Sang Shuiyun.

“Hahaha, you actually try to change me?” Sang Shuiyun looked at Shang Tianyan. “We’ve known each other for too long. I can see through your thoughts at a glance.”

“Yes, I am trying to change you. I know I can’t stop you. Even the Yu Kingdom might not be able to kill you. A sinful cultivator like you might really become a Chaos Ruler, even a God King. I only hope that the future supreme expert… will be benevolent towards this world, not malicious,” Shang Tianyan said, looking at Sang Shuiyun.

“Hahaha…” Sang Shuiyun’s eyes held madness. “You have your path, I have mine! What is good or evil? My will is the will of heaven and earth, the will of all beings!”

Shang Tianyan gently shook his head.

“Since you came, you must have some backup plan,” Sang Shuiyun said, looking at him. “What is your backup plan? No one in this entire Huyang City can kill me now. Even General Yong is worried about affecting countless lives. So, your backup plan is reliant on a major power?”

“You’re quite clever,” Shang Tianyan said.

“What backup plan did you arrange?” Sang Shuiyun stared at him. “Tell me, and I might spare your life.”

“Guess,” Shang Tianyan smiled. “My backup plan, I can’t say it will definitely kill you, but it should have a 90% chance, right?”

“What exactly is the backup plan?” Sang Shuiyun’s eyes were full of madness.

“Let me test your strength! The strength of the Blood Cloud God Monarch!” Shang Tianyan suddenly threw a punch.

He was empty-handed, and his fist carried a heaven-shaking power! Sang Shuiyun stood still, letting the punch pierce through his chest. His entire body flowed like a wave of blood.

An invisible domain enveloped the entire cave abode. The Sang Shuiyun, with his body of blood, stared at Shang Tianyan: “Self-refining a divine body, refining the divine body like a mechanical treasure? Brother Shang, your artifact refinement skills are indeed far superior to the entire Huyang City. You shouldn’t die just like this. Tell me, what backup plan do you have?”

Knowing the backup plan would make it easier to deal with.

He knew Shang Tianyan too well! Shang Tianyan seemed enthusiastic about making countless friends and was very friendly to countless disciples of the sect, but when it came to scheming, he was no less than Sang Shuiyun.

They both understood each other very well!

“Do you think I would tell you?” Shang Tianyan shook his head.

“Then I can only send you on your way personally!” Sang Shuiyun’s body turned into a wave of blood, completely enveloping Shang Tianyan.

Enveloped by the wave of blood, Shang Tianyan turned to look at the world: “This world is so wonderful, yet you want to slaughter and destroy it wantonly, all for a glimmer of hope for a breakthrough…”

Whoosh!

The wave of blood eroded him, and Shang Tianyan’s body soon dissolved, his True God Heart annihilated.

Sang Shuiyun stood silently in place. Shang Tianyan was dead, and the only friend he had in this world had been killed by his own hand.

“Those who block my path must die,” Sang Shuiyun said expressionlessly. He looked around. “There are no ambushes at all. It seems you didn’t pin your hopes on the experts in Huyang City. You want to borrow external power to kill me?”

A strand of Blood Cloud power also silently遁地 (dundi – escaped into the earth) and departed.

This place, the site of a battle, was no longer suitable for residing.

…

In an ordinary residence.

The metal life, Uncle Qiu, looked at the night sky, waiting anxiously. Suddenly, within his karmic communication token, the karma of Sect Master ‘Shang Tianyan’ dissipated.

“Sect Master.” Uncle Qiu trembled. He knew that Sect Master had finally died.

Without hesitation, according to Sect Master’s previous arrangements, Uncle Qiu immediately sent a secret letter to five targets.

In fact, Shang Tianyan was not absolutely sure that Sang Shuiyun was the Blood Cloud, so he needed to confirm it! He worried that, when he confirmed it, he would die before he could spread the news. So, he had Uncle Qiu help spread the secret letter.

In reality, Shang Tianyan also used the ‘Karmic Communication Token’ to transmit more specific information.

…

At the City Lord’s Mansion, Mo Limeng was dealing with the aftermath. After all, the Blood Cloud God Monarch had affected and slaughtered over eight billion lives, which would have a significant impact on the entire Huyang City. If handled poorly, it might cause large-scale panic.

“Hmm?” Mo Limeng first received Shang Tianyan’s message, and then received the secret letter from Uncle Qiu.

“The true identity of the Blood Cloud God Monarch is ‘Sang Shuiyun’?” Mo Limeng revealed a look of joy. “This Sang Shuiyun has resided in Huyang City for too long. I’ve even encountered him several times in Dream Flower House. Wherever he goes, there must be traces. The more traces there are, the more you can try to deduce the secrets and track his whereabouts… hmm?”

Mo Limeng finished reading Shang Tianyan’s complete secret letter.

“What an Shang Tianyan! He actually has a ‘Karmic Tracking Token,’ and the Karmic Tracking Token contains Sang Shuiyun’s karma? With this Karmic Tracking Token, you can track Sang Shuiyun?” Mo Limeng was overjoyed. “This is easy now. Being able to track his location, Marquis can carefully arrange a plan to eliminate him in one fell swoop.”

Even if his strength rivals General Yong!

As long as the location is confirmed in advance and arranged, they can mobilize a strong enough force to kill him in one fell swoop.

“Shang Tianyan has truly made a great contribution.” Just as Mo Limeng was excited, he suddenly discovered that Shang Tianyan’s karma in the Karmic Communication Token had dissipated.

“He died?” Mo Limeng’s heart trembled.

“His Karmic Tracking Token is stored in Yanfeng Guildhall, and only my father, Mo Lixiao, can go and retrieve it?” Mo Limeng did not dare to hesitate and immediately reported this intelligence.

This was intelligence that Shang Tianyan had left behind with his life.

In fact, Sang Shuiyun was very careful. Even though he was a close friend of Shang Tianyan, he never left behind blood or other things, so he would not let Shang Tianyan lock onto his karma.

However, Sang Shuiyun did not understand the methods of an artifact refinement grandmaster. Their long-term relationship would naturally lead to karmic entanglement! With each other’s karma, Shang Tianyan was able to imprint it into the ‘Karmic Tracking Token,’ which could be used to track Sang Shuiyun’s location.

In Shang Tianyan’s view, as long as the Blood Cloud God Monarch caused trouble, the Yu Kingdom could not tolerate it a second or third time, even if they had to endure it once.

Once the Yu Kingdom wanted to kill a Blood Cloud God Monarch, having the Karmic Tracking Token to confirm his location would give them a great deal of certainty.

But Shang Tianyan also knew very well that there were too many variables in the future, and he could only do his best.

…

The Dream Flower House Master was alone in her small building, playing a tune, when she suddenly received a message.

“Hmm?” The Dream Flower House Master checked.

“The true identity of the Food Nation’s leader, ‘Blood Cloud God Monarch,’ is Sang Shuiyun! At this moment, the top forces in Huyang City all know this news! But don’t worry, the City Lord’s Mansion owes me a lot, and I’ve instructed them to take care of you. The top forces in the city also have a good relationship with me, so I believe they won’t cause you any trouble. If you really encounter a great danger in the future, other forces are unreliable. Only God Monarch Luo He can help you.”

“I know his character. For my sake, he will help you once. But don’t bother him too much, he hates trouble! Once you disgust him, he won’t care about your life or death anymore.”

“Also, don’t worry about Sang Shuiyun. He won’t come to Dream Flower House again.”

“Dream Flower, your illusion techniques are really average. Among Eternal True Gods who specialize in illusion, you are at the bottom. You have to cultivate diligently in the future. In this world, you ultimately have to rely on yourself.”

This secret letter left the Dream Flower House Master dazed.

Shang Tianyan and Sang Shuiyun, those two Eternal True Gods were infatuated with her.

“Tianyan is dead?” The Dream Flower House Master discovered that Shang Tianyan’s karma in the Karmic Communication Token had dissipated. She stood there blankly, her mind buzzing. Too many thoughts made it difficult for her to calm down.

…

Inside a cave abode, atop a mountain peak.

Luo Feng sat cross-legged, quietly cultivating.

He didn’t use a Karmic Communication Token, so he couldn’t receive karmic messages, but he received information from the Yanfeng Guildhall’s Dark Palace.

“God Monarch Luo He, Shang Tianyan has been confirmed dead. According to his instructions before his death, the over three million Cosmos Sand and all the treasures, including a secret letter that he left in the Yanfeng Guildhall’s Dark Palace, will be transferred to you. Please come to the Yanfeng Guildhall’s Dark Palace to collect them in person.”

This information stunned Luo Feng.

Shang Tianyan, confirmed dead?